Lubrication of brake shafts



Oct. 2, 1928.

H. MORGAN LUBRICATION OF BRAKE SHAFTS gwvantoz Filed Oct. 19, 1927 Y 25 my invention. Y

Figure 2 1s an enlarged v1ew,pa'rtly 1n sec-r Patentedr Get. V2, 1928.

y kHARRY MORGAN, or mmm-MICHIGAN, AssIGNoRro GENERAL; ivio'roRsv CORPORA- Tron, orl DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ,A coRroRAron or DELAWARE. y

LURRIoArIoNZOF 'BRAKE "sHAFTs. y

' Appucatibnmea october 1a, '1927. 'Serial No. 227,158. I' f 'Ihis invention relates to lubricating'means for the 'brake shaft o-f anv automotive vehicle. In brakemechanismof this kind .there are ordinarily two hollow shafts independently 5 rotatable, one being journaled on the other. r Since both shafts are intermittently rocked,

it has hitherto been difficult to adequately lulbricate the bearing surfaces between them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lubricating tube extended to an accessible point Von the car and so connected with the brake shafts that lubricant may be supplied to the bearing surface between-the. outer and inner shafts. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a lubricating means that will not interfere with nor willbe inte-1'- fered with by rockingof either shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and appended claims.

In the drawing Figure lis a plan view of a portion o-f the chassis of an'automotive vehiclev embodying tion, of the brake shaft.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated in Figure 1 a portion of the. chassis ofanautomotive vehicle comprising the usual channeled side frame members 10 and crossmembers or braces 12 and 14. Fixed to the forward side of the cross member 12 are bearing brackets 16 and 18in which' are supported ythe brake shafts. Y

Rotatably supported inv the bearing surfaces 19 in brackets 16 and 18 is a hollow shaft 20. Clamped to the ,hollow shaft 2O at points y adjacent the opposite ends thereof are the sleeve portions of downwardly extending arms 22 and 24, the lower ends of which are I connectedA with the forward ends of the rods 26 and .28 respectively for actuation of the internal rear wheel brakes. Rocking of shaft 2O is transmit-ted through link 80 to arm 31 on shaft 32 journaled in frame members 10 for reciprocating rods 34 for actuation of the frontwheel brakes. Shaft 20 is rocked by the usual connection with the foot pedal (not shown). f

i Rotatablyamounted on shaft V20 is a shorter hollow shaft 86 havinganinternal diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of shaft- 20. Shaft l36 is provided at opposite ends on its inner surface with ybushings 38 fitting snugly about' shaft 20. opposite ends on its' outer surfacelaref clamped .the

sleeve portions .of downwardly ektending?v arms 40 and" 41j thelowerends of which :are connected respectively with the forward ends of rods 42 extended rearwardly for connection with the external brake bandsfor actuation thereof. Shaft 36 is rocked by its usual connection with the hand brake (not shown) .i A coil spring surrounds shaft 2O between shaft 36 and arm. 24 and prevents movement of inner shaft 2O to the right, or upward ras shown inA Figure 1. movement of shaft 20 tothe left. The spring also holdsA shaft 36 up against bracketll-G and prevents rattling.

Bracket 1 6 'prevents Press fitted in the end of shaft 2O is a metalv I lic plug 46provided with a central aperture through which. extends lubricating tube .(48 provided vwith a. fitting 50 mounted on the usual bracket 52 fixed to the side of the chassis. A washer of, leather orsimilar material.

surrounds tube 48 and extends radially there.- fronrthus cont-acting -with the inner jsurface of plug 46. A metallic washer 56 surrounds tube 48 and the axially extending portionV of washer 54.

lAsmall aperturev58`is provided inr shaft 20`at'an intermediate point and opens within shaft 36 between the two bushings "Within shaft 20 adjacent opening 58 and opposite plug-46 is a wooden plug 60. This plug lits tightly in order'to withstand a small amount of pressure occasioned by the forcing in lof the lubricant. v Then lubricant is forced into fitting 50, it passes through tube 48 into inner shaft-2O and thence 'through aperture 58 into .the space between shafts 36 and 20. From this space it is forced out and :lub'ricates'the bearing surfaces Vbetween shaft 2O and vbushings '38, n The escape of lubricant between tube 48 and plug 46 is prevented by the lubricant pressurewhich causes leather washer 54 to hug" the tube 48 tightly. 1 When the oilpressure is Arelieved, t-he leather washerexpandsv and lc'oscns its grip on tube 48 and permits shaft'20, plug'46 and washers 54 and 56 to n rotate'freely during the operation of the braking mechanism, while tube 4'8jremvains stationary. f

Iclaim: 1. In a brake shaft assembly V.forf support on a. vehicle chassis,v a hollow inner brake actuating shaft, a hollow outer brake actuating shaft journaledon saidinner shaft, a bear-v ing 'support for said shafts on theebzyssisper? mitting"`zin'depen lent rocking movement Vof said shafts', said inner shaft being closed at one end', and a 'fixed lubricatingtubeextending in the otheenflof 'said inner shaft byuconnection permitting rotation, of the shaft relative to theitubelbut preventing the escape oflubricant, said innel sluit being provided with :1n-.aperture opening into said outer slpltlfii.i f A Y .2. Inaoblake'sha'ft assembly for sup-pont, on-ayvehiele ehassis, :1.hollow inner .brakel aetuatingl shaft, Va hollow .outer brake-actu ating shaftjournaled on saidv inner shaftga'.. bearing support for said shafts o-n the Chassis permitting, independent rocking Ymovement of said shaftsgsaid inner` shaft being closed'at videdA Xrvtll' L )YiihQL bearing against said plug and tube for preventingtlle escape of lubricantysaidi inner shaft being providedfwitli an aperture opening into said outershafth it fone endend provided-'With an` apertured plug f p fixedA in 4tliejother endY land a, lubricating tube extending' through said aperture and pro- 20 .p

In testimony whereofl aiiix my ,Sigrmturek Y HABRYMORGAN 

